[The letter below was sent to River Reporter columnist and writer Jonathan Fox.]

Thanks for the writing on dogs

A few years ago I presented a birds of prey presentation at the Tusten Theater, and you printed some very kind words about me and my program in your column. I have always meant to thank you, and not to make excuses, but time went by, and you know life goes on. So I’m thanking you now, having enjoyed your writing for years.

I have just finished reading your column about Dharma’s illness. When my Tibetan terrier Roxie at less than four years old was diagnosed with lymphoma almost three years ago, I was devastated. With treatment I was lucky to have another year and a half with her. I miss her every day.

Only dog people really get the impact that they have on our lives, and the fact that Dharma is your service dog must make it even more difficult for you. I hope you are able to manage her Lyme disease, she continues to recover, and you have more years with her. Please know that my heart goes out to you. Your love for Dharma has been evident in your writing, and I have no doubt that you are one of the best dog owners out there. Dharma is as lucky to have you as you are to have her. Good luck with her care. Attached is a photo I took of Roxie on one of the best days of our lives together.

Bill Streeter

Milford, PA

Welfare for billionaires

Rep. John Faso’s promised vote for Trumpcare’s failed, ill-named “health” bill last week included a transfer of $300 billion to the top 2% of the population. Now we’ll wait as he tries to repeat the screwing of the middle class with a Republican so-called tax “reform” bill that will again try to transfer billions to America’s millionaires and billionaires.

Suggestion: cut out this letter and tape it to your refrigerator so when Faso tries to shaft you this next time you can say, “I knew it!” (Remove from fridge in November,  2018 on the way out to vote.)

Bill Duncan 

Woodbourne, NY

Trump’s IQ test

Trump promised to pick the smartest people available for his team—he knew who they were. Apparently Trump equates IQ with bank accounts.

His cabinet includes Rex Tillerson (State), Betsy DeVos (Education), Steven Mnuchin (Treasury), Wilber Ross (Commerce), Linda McMahon (Small Business). Every one of them a one-percenter. Trump hasn’t cleaned out the swamp, but he has emptied the pool of Goldman Sachs investment bankers as additional appointees.

He replaced Gina McCarthy, who holds a master of science degree in environmental health engineering, as head of the Environmental Protection Agency, with Scott Pruitt, who sued the agency over environmental protections.

Obama’s picks to head the Energy Department were Nobel prize physicist Steven Chu and nuclear physicist Ernest Monitz. Trump picked Rick Perry, apparently the smartest ex-governor of Texas since George W. Bush. Trump himself was smart enough to borrow a million dollars from his father to get started. Very smart, believe me. 

Roy Tedoff

Roscoe, NY

Cutbacks in pre-K a disaster

I am a life-long resident of Sullivan County and have been a property owner in the Sullivan West District for 14 years. I attended Delaware Valley Central School and made a conscious decision to return to Sullivan County to pursue my career and raise my family. In 1999, I voted in favor of merging the three school districts and was excited for the potential future opportunities. 

My daughter currently attends the pre-K program at St. Peter’s Regional School in Liberty. Unfortunately, the Archdiocese has announced that St. Peter’s will be closing at the end of the school year, which is a devastating loss for the community.

I recently called Sullivan West to schedule my four-year old daughter for pre-K screening. Sullivan West has been offering three pre-K classes (45 students), with students selected for these classes on a needs basis. However, I was just advised that Sullivan West will only be offering one pre-K class (15 students) in the coming 2017-2018 school year.

This is unacceptable. With the merger of three districts, there should be at least three pre-K classes. School curriculum has changed over the years. Historically, students that do not attend pre-K struggle throughout school. By limiting the number of pre-K classes offered, you are denying our children a proper education. Further, with the closing of St. Peter’s, residents of the district have no alternative pre-K options.

This situation needs to be rectified immediately. There is no time to waste when we are discussing the education of our children. Simply put, with the size of the district and no other alternatives, the district has an obligation to offer more than one pre-K class. It is unacceptable to set children up to fail because you chose to not offer more than one pre-K class.

Shannan Armbrust

Jeffersonville, NY

Stand against hate

The Sullivan County Human Rights Commission was created in 2005 to foster mutual respect for the rights of all persons in Sullivan County.

At this time, we are compelled to speak out against the deplorable expressions of hatred that have blossomed across America in recent months: desecration of Jewish cemeteries, threats to Jewish community centers, attacks on Muslim mosques, the shooting of Indian men in a Kansas restaurant, racially charged graffiti on a home in Connecticut, the revitalized presence of the Ku Klux Klan and other white supremacist organizations. These are just a few examples of the uptick in hateful acts across the U.S.

In our thinking, even one such case is one too many.

The New York Police Department, in February 2017, reported a measurable increase in hate crimes, led by anti-Semitic incidents.

We urge the citizens of Sullivan County to be vigilant in not allowing hate and fear to afflict our lives and those of our neighbors. We must stand together as one and embrace the principles of the United States Constitution that says all men (and women) are created equal and entitled to the benefits enshrined in the Bill of Rights.

Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel taught, “There is simply no time for neutrality… For those who dedicate their lives to pursuing justice, every moment is urgent.” Civil rights leader Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said, “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”

To this end, the Commission sponsors activities that enable citizen discussions, encourage mutual understanding and disseminate accurate information when egregious acts occur.

The Human Rights commission meets on the second Thursday of each month in the Legislative Meeting Room of the Sullivan County Government Center in Monticello. Meetings are open to the public. For more information, call 845/807-0189 or find the commission website at www.co.sullivan.ny.us and click on the “Departments” tab.

Why ECSD is failing

If you are paying attention, it is not too difficult to understand that Eldred Central School District (ECSD) is failing. Since 2007, the enrollment has declined from 723 students to 582. This has coincided with the period that ECSD Board President Doug Reiser has been a member of the board, eight years as president. There is no football team, and many subjects are not available, including physics. The small number of students in grades seven through 12 does not allow for a diverse and rigorous education. In short, ECS is a shadow of its former self when there was good leadership.

The teachers are doing well though. There are three administrators and seven teachers “earning” over $100,000 a year; and in two years, there will be three more teachers. Pretty good for a failing school district. Maybe this has to do with the fact that the board president has been a member of the $100,000 club in an adjacent school district since 2010.

So why, other than protecting teachers’ jobs, are we still operating two buildings?

So why are we paying $28,000 per student when there is a private school in the district that offers a superior education for less than half that cost and has no overpaid teachers?

Paul A Clark Jr.

Eldred, NY